Arsenal News: Lille Name Their Price For Pepe

Lille Want €50-80m

Arsenal look set to be priced out of a move for Lille winger Nicolas Pepe.

The Gunners are one of a number of clubs keeping tabs on the Ivory Coast international who has scored 16 goals in 26 games for the French side this season.

But speaking to RMC, Lille owner Gerard Lopez said it would take a bid of “between €50million and €80million” before he would consider the sale of Pepe. That would rule Arsenal out of the running. The Premier League side are looking at a net transfer spend of €50million this summer. To have a chance of signing Pepe the Gunners would need to sell players to finance any deal.

Speaking to Canal+ on Monday night Lopez revealed that there has already been one huge bid for Pepe.

“It does not just depend on the club. It also depends on the player,” he said.

“He deserves to play at the highest level. We have offers, yes. There are clubs in England. We have had offers worth €50 million. We will not sell for less, we have even refused a €50 million bid.

“We had an offer from China worth €80 million with an astronomical salary, but he didn’t want to go.”